Over the past few weeks you’ve likely experienced some notable changes in your resource base, whether that’s related to finances or simply possessions. The trap of our materialistic culture is its overvaluing of objects, financial security, and wealth. Certainly there’s nothing wrong with wanting nice things, or anything spiritually corrupt about creating a safety net. But overvaluing the acquisition of stuff can lead us into soul-deadening places in life, where we feel cut off from something deeper, more meaningful, and illuminating. Those deeper places have been calling to you, inviting you to look more closely at yourself and indulge your curiosity about how other people think.

This total solar eclipse in Leo represents a dramatic change in your perspective that helps to deepen your awareness and understanding of yourself and your intimate partners. You may have realized recently just how brief and ephemeral life really is, and compulsively trying to fill that with things can often prevent you from deeper intimacy and spiritual awakening. This eclipse invites you to open up, share, and release your attachment to hoarding or otherwise trying to control the flow of resources. Move beyond a purely fear based survival mindset into a willingness to receive help and thereby deepen your ability to trust.

The solar eclipse in Leo represents a breakthrough in self-understanding. It can also help you open up to those you trust and love, as well as awaken to a greater sense of connection to the universe at large. A fire grand trine between the eclipse, Saturn, and Uranus creates a powerful conduit of motivation to go further with your self and close partners. It can also correlate with sudden movement, progress, and change impacting your domestic life or family relations.

Particularly with a close trine to Uranus, this eclipse can inspire spontaneous personal revelations, and rapid changes occurring on the home front, which should be relatively positive. But none of this is entirely guaranteed. It would seem that your inner work reflects changes around you and in other people. That means the further you go with this, the more you can expect to shift and change for the better.

Saturn moving through Sagittarius has probably felt like a long, drawn out closing of a chapter in your life--a sense that your previous ambitions are melting and dissipating from conscious view. You’re coming into a new cycle of growth, and the more you release those old structures, the more liberated you’ll feel. Look for someone to help you see all of this from a new perspective, and assist you in deepening your trust in the process. As Saturn is your ruling planet, life can feel really uncertain at the moment, but listen to your desire to pull away from too much drama and stress for a while. Perhaps keep your social circle a little tighter, and give yourself time to be alone if needed.

Just after this dramatic eclipse, the Sun shifts into Virgo around Aug 22. With Mercury retrograde here too, you may be reconsidering your ideological stance or cosmological perspective. For the next month, the Sun’s transit through Virgo is your seasonal cycle to reach out and take in big ideas and concepts. You’re probably feeling a little restless. Let yourself get some space for a while and feed your curiosity. While you should certainly feel free to travel at this time, do keep in mind that Mercury retrograde may create some delays or otherwise complicate your plans.

That’s certainly not the end of the world, but just give yourself extra time for the unexpected should it arise. Also keep in mind that Mercury retrograde in Virgo isn’t impossible to work with. You’ll likely find that any setbacks are more easily overcome and dealt with. Mars also makes a trine to your ruler Saturn on Aug 22. That could help with making progress with a spiritual practice clearing and releasing some crap from your life. Expect an intimate partner to give you more solitude and space to reflect or otherwise commune with spirit.

Saturn stations direct on Aug 25. Since April of this year, you’ve been given some time to digest this “closing chapter” in your life and hopefully make some peace with it. This station could bring about some heaviness on the days surrounding the 25th. If you feel a call to turn away from outward activity or drama, this is the best time of the month. Any kind of structured spiritual practice would be worth your time, like meditation, yoga, or tai chi.

There’s likely to be some narrowing of your focus, and a need to withdraw. This Saturn station can help perfect your asanas or even dissipate that ONE thought that just keeps interrupting your meditations. Venus entering Leo around Aug 25 could be helpful in bringing money or resources from a partner or friend. From late August until Sept 19, this Venus cycle could help you bond, connect, and deepen trust and intimacy too. Mars enters Virgo on Sept 5 at which point you’ll be more than ready to get out there and explore a little more.